She went to Leo’s kennel first. “Hey, boy. How are you?”
He immediately purred and rubbed himself against the door, trying to get close to her. She knelt down, sat on the balls of her feet, and let him out. In his excitement, he almost knocked her down in his attempt to climb on top of her.
“Whoa, Leo. Settle down, boy. You’re going to push me over.” She laughed.
As if he’d understood her, he backed off and sat on his hind legs. His intelligence was something else she loved about him. She swore that she could see comprehension in his eyes when she talked to him.
He would also play games, like fetch, with her. She’d once made the mistake of commenting on how he reminded her of a dog. He would play games, and since he was too big for the litter box, he’d go to the bathroom outdoors. He had growled and hissed. It could have been a coincidence, but she never compared him to a dog again. Strangely though, when she took him in the dog room, he would seem to get along with the dogs okay. He was definitely a peculiar cat.
“Do you have to go the bathroom?” she asked him. “Let’s go.”
Once outside, Leo did his business, and when he finished, he came inside and followed Naya on her rounds.
She visited all the other cats and emptied their litter boxes. Then, Naya and Leo went to the dog room and took the nine dogs out for a quick walk, three at a time. Next, she moved on to the rodents and cleaned any dirty papers, and then did the same for the reptiles. Through all this, Leo stayed right behind her.
After she finished caring for the animals, she sat down to eat. She knew she wasn’t supposed to, but she always brought extra food to share with Leo.
“Sorry I haven’t been here in a while, Leo. Did you miss me?”
Leo made a noise that she took as a yes.
Naya rubbed around his ears. “I missed you, too, buddy. You wouldn’t believe everything that’s happened lately.”
Leo sat patiently as if waiting for her to talk.
“You want to hear about my complicated life?”
He put his paw on her lap.
“Well, last night I found out my parents have selected someone they want me to marry. The thing is, I hardly know him. I’ve seen him around, and he seems nice enough. If only my parents realized that if I wanted to get to know him better, I would have done so all on my own. Sometimes, Leo, I wish I’d been born someone else. I know many people would consider me lucky, but they don’t understand my lack of freedom to be the person I want to be. My responsibilities are smothering, and everyone analyzes me all the time. I feel like they are just waiting for me to mess up. It’s exhausting.”
From just thinking about mating with Emerson, Naya lost her appetite and found herself picking at her food as she talked.
“I knew my parents were searching for someone to marry me, so it wasn’t a complete shock. But the situation is more difficult now because the night before last I went to this new nightclub with Kenzie, and I met this guy. Oh, man, Leo. He…this guy…”
She realized she was wearing a stupid grin on her face from the mere mention of Vaughn, and she caught herself staring off into space.
“You’ve only been here for two months, so you don’t understand that it’s really hard to find guys who spark my interest—at least, like this anyway. There’s just something about him. He makes me feel things I’ve never felt before.
“In the past, when I listened to all those love songs and poets talk about love at first sight, I always thought they were crazy, and it didn’t exist. I know I’m not in love. After all, I just met him. I guess what I’m saying is, I feel the potential to fall in love with this guy. He’s amazing.”
She sat and daydreamed for what seemed like forever, before realizing it was time to finish up and take care of the rest of her duties. Naya searched in her bag, pulled out the rest of her food, and fed Leo what she hadn’t eaten.
“Well, Leo, you’re done eating, and I need to finish working. I think I’ve talked enough for tonight. Thanks for being such a good listener.”
After she cleaned up her stuff, she made her rounds again. Her shift ended at five in the morning, giving her enough time to get home before the sun would rise. Even if her replacement didn’t show up on time, Second Chances wouldn’t open until nine, so she could leave regardless.
However, at four thirty this morning, the supervisor showed up. Usually, another volunteer or one of the veterinary technicians came in to relieve her. When Naya saw Marilyn’s headlights flash through the window, she quickly put Leo away. Marilyn was sweet, but Naya didn’t want to risk being lectured for leaving Leo out all night.
Naya walked to the front of the shelter just as Marilyn entered. “Good morning, Marilyn. What brings you in this early?”
“Good morning, Naya. Give me a few minutes to start coffee. Then, I want to discuss something with you.”
“Okay.” Naya acted nonchalant, but she began to panic once Marilyn left the reception area.
Have I done something wrong? Is Marilyn going to tell me I can no longer volunteer here? Is the shelter going to get rid of Leo? Has someone come forward?
Every worst-case scenario raced through her head. The supervisor wouldn’t merely show up early and unannounced without a reason.
Marilyn stepped out from the back break room and motioned for Naya to follow her to her office.
Naya hesitated at the door.
Marilyn gestured for her to enter. “Come in and have a seat, please.”
Naya took a seat, wringing her hands in anticipation, and she waited for Marilyn to speak.
“I don’t know if you’ve heard, but I am moving,” was the first thing out of the supervisor’s mouth.
Naya hadn’t expected her to talk about this. “Um…yes, some people have mentioned it.”
“Well, they are going to post my job soon, Naya, and I want you to apply for it.”
Stunned, Naya sat back in her chair. She had been worried that Marilyn would tell her not to let Leo out, but instead, Marilyn wanted Naya to take over the supervisor job.
“Me?”
“Yes. You are wonderful with the animals. The staff and other volunteers love you. Plus, I know you have a bachelor’s degree, and it’s a requirement for this job. I think you would be perfect for it. If you apply, both the vets and I would be happy to serve as references for you. Like I said, everyone loves you.”
“I-I have to think about it. This is sudden.”
Marilyn smiled at her. “I thought it might be, which is why I wanted to bring it up now. I’m not moving for four months, so that allows you some time to consider. I’m really going to miss this place, and I’d be sad to leave it in the wrong hands. I already put in a good word for you with the director.”
Naya gave her a tentative smile. “Thank you very much. I can’t give you an answer right now, but I promise that I will give it some serious thought.”
“I understand. You can call me anytime if you have any questions about the job.”
“I will do that.”
“Great. Now, go, and have a great day,” Marilyn said.
Naya stood. “Thanks again. You, too.”
She made a quick stop to tell Leo her news before she left for home. She doubted she’d be able to take the job because her parents would never allow it. It still was satisfying to know someone appreciated her, and it had nothing to do with the fact that she was a princess.
THE FOLLOWING NIGHT, Naya was finishing up her preparations to meet Emerson. She wasn’t looking forward to tonight’s engagement, but she was relieved that her parents had left for Australia, so they wouldn’t be hovering over the two of them. It would be easier for her and Emerson to get to know each other.
She would love to believe that was the reason her parents had decided to arrange time for Emerson and herself while they were gone. However, she knew they didn’t want to wait for the courting to begin after they came home. They wanted to return from their trip and announce an upcoming betrothal as soon
as possible. The surprising news would really please the Vampire Council.
Hearing the doorbell, Naya hurried down the stairs to meet her guest. Arianna was already waiting at the bottom. Naya noticed she looked beautiful and suspected she’d spent a lot of time on herself tonight. Fit for a formal gathering, Arianna was wearing a long charcoal-gray satin dress. She probably didn’t know that it made her beautiful copper-red hair stand out.
When Arianna saw Naya’s outfit, she let out a small gasp but said nothing. Naya had decided on a classy red sweater and designer jeans along with black high heels. While she looked nice, she was nowhere near as dressed up as her cousin.
Arianna stood slightly behind her as Hans let Emerson in the door. Naya studied him as he entered, and Hans took his coat. She decided he was a handsome enough male, but he definitely wasn’t Vaughn. Then, she gave herself a mental slap.
Stop it, Naya. You’ll never get anywhere if you compare everyone to Vaughn. You met him one time. You need to move on and forget about him.
In an effort to do just that, she stepped forward to greet Emerson. He was wearing a tie and a tan suit that appeared too hot for this weather, but it showed he wanted to make an impression. Too bad for him, wearing a suit was not the way to win her over. She was sick of stuffy, formal people.
“Hello, Emerson.” She smiled at him.
“Hello, Anaya.” Emerson smiled back, his hazel eyes filled with warmth.
“Please, call me Naya. My parents and the Council are the only ones who call me Anaya.” She put her hand out behind her. “You remember my cousin, Arianna?”
Emerson’s smile went from genuine to forced, and Naya frowned at him. Besides dinner the other night, she didn’t think they knew each other as more than polite social acquaintances.
“Hello, Emerson,” Arianna said.
“Arianna.” Emerson’s tone was polite but not friendly, like it had been with Naya.
Arianna lowered her head, and Naya lost a little bit of respect for him.
Resisting the urge to sigh because the three of them were stuck in this situation, Naya diverted their attention from one another. “Emerson, why don’t we sit down while we wait for our food?” She led him to the living room. “I hope you don’t mind, but I’m not as formal as my parents. Instead of having the cook prepare a big meal with us sitting in the large dining room, I thought we would simply have pizza delivered and sit in here.”
The pizza made her think of her night with Vaughn, but again, she gave herself a mental shake, so she could watch Emerson more closely.
It was necessary she focus on tonight, and if she ended up mated with someone her parents had chosen for her, this person would need to get used to the fact that she was a modern girl. She didn’t like all the traditions the current royalty enjoyed, so she’d decided to set up a little experiment. She might be forced into this arrangement, but she wouldn’t pretend to be someone she wasn’t. The first test had been her clothing choice, and despite his stodgy outfit, he hadn’t even flinched at hers. Their meal was the second test.
Naya watched as Emerson’s eyes got big for a second, but then he simply nodded.
Arianna, however, stood frozen in place with her jaw practically down to her chest and her eyes as round as saucers. She knew Arianna was shocked. Naya hadn’t shared her plans because she’d realized Arianna would fret over her idea. Naya loved her, but sometimes, she was old-fashioned.
After Emerson’s look of surprise, his shoulders relaxed. He let out a long breath and grinned. “Pizza sounds wonderful. I think we can get to know each other better in a casual setting.”
This time, Emerson shocked Naya by removing his jacket and tie and setting them aside. He then rolled up the sleeves of his white dress shirt before sitting on the couch. Stunned, Naya took a step back while Arianna gasped. Not only had Emerson removed some of his clothing, he’d sat down before either of the females in the room.
Game, set, match. Tonight might be more fun than she had originally thought.
Arianna felt like her head was about to explode. She did not know what to make of the night. For dinner with a very important guest, Naya had come down, dressed in blue jeans. Then, she had said they were eating pizza in the living room. They never ate in the living room. They never even ate in the kitchen. All their meals were taken in the dining room.
At first, Arianna had felt embarrassed over Naya’s actions. She had thought the situation would horrify Emerson, and he would walk out. Instead, he had welcomed the dinner Naya offered. He had even taken off some of his outer garments to get more comfortable, and then he had sat before either she or Naya were seated. A gentleman always stood when a lady did. She would have kept her position at the entryway if Naya had not suggested she sit with them. To say Arianna was without words would be an understatement.
However, that had only been the beginning. When the pizza arrived, Naya handed them paper plates and plastic forks. Arianna had not realized they owned any, and she suspected Naya had bought them for this occasion alone. Again, Arianna thought Emerson would leave, but instead, he picked up his pizza and ate it with his bare hands. He did not bother using the plasticware. Naya and Emerson each ate a whole slice before Naya encouraged Arianna to eat. At that point, she hardly had an appetite, but she could not deny her curiosity about the taste of pizza.
During the meal, Naya and Emerson made small talk. Emerson and Naya had both gone to college at the University of Minnesota. Naya had majored in political science, and Emerson had studied business and marketing. They were both only children from wealthy families who demanded a lot from them. They already had much in common.
Meanwhile, Arianna sat in silence and listened. It was almost as if she was not there.
She did not contribute to the conversation for she knew she was not here to spend time with them. She was merely their chaperone. She supposed it was just as well. Arianna never attended college, and both her parents were deceased, so she felt slightly excluded from the conversation.
At least it appeared they were done making inappropriate decisions. But as their meal headed to a close, Naya asked Emerson if he would like a glass of wine, knowing full well her parents and the Council would not approve of them drinking while courting. Emerson told her it sounded good, but a beer would be better. Without blinking, Naya sent Hans out to get beer. Then, while they waited, Naya announced that she would be the one to clean up because she had given most of the staff the night off. Emerson got up and told her he would help. Carrying dirty plates, he headed to the kitchen after Naya. A princess and future king were not supposed perform menial chores. While Arianna stood there, dumbfounded, they both laughed as they headed down the hall.
It finally occurred to Arianna that they were playing some game by choosing to do something unexpected. When she understood it was an activity between the two, she felt some of the tension leave her body. It would certainly not be like this every time she supervised them in the future.
When they had first started their contest, Arianna had thought they disliked each other. Now, she knew it was a competition they obviously both enjoyed. She tried to push away her sad feelings, but it was hard to ignore that they clearly had things in common and were growing fond of each other.
Until that moment, a part of her had hoped Naya would dislike Emerson and reject their possible betrothal. Then, maybe her aunt and uncle would suggest a second choice, and Emerson would turn his eyes to her. However, it was apparent Naya would most likely not do such a thing since it would disappoint her parents. At any rate, the two of them were getting along fine. Plus, it was undeniable that Emerson would never be interested in Arianna, with or without Naya in the picture.
After the food was put away and the dishes were in the garbage, they retired to the family room where Naya and Emerson sat, shoeless, on the floor, playing video games. They were also drinking the beer Hans had brought back. Neither appeared to be drunk, but Arianna lacked a lot of experience with drunken vampires.
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br /> Staying out of the way while pretending to read, Arianna was grateful that her aunt and uncle were on their way to a foreign country. She was not sure how they would feel about the princess and possible future king behaving in this manner.
Arianna would have gone up to her room long ago, so she could be by herself, but she had promised to watch over them, to witness that nothing unsuitable would happen. Although, at this point, she was not sure if having their own private party was any better than them touching each other inappropriately.
Naya and Emerson appeared to be having lots of fun. They were high-fiving and making lots of noises over the video game. Arianna felt left out. Naya had asked if she wanted to play, but she did not know how. The last thing she needed was to embarrass herself by playing for the first time in front of Emerson. He already seemed to dislike her. She did not want him laughing at her, too.
Arianna did not understand. She had never done anything to him. She hardly even knew him, and he had been pleasant at vampire functions in the past. Yet, he’d barely acknowledged her existence the two times he came to her home. Even if she were brave and decided to try to play the game, the scowl on Emerson’s face was enough to turn her away. He certainly did not wish for her to interact with them.
“Arianna, are you sure you don’t want to join us? You don’t have to read over there by yourself.”
Emerson would not even look at her, but she saw his shoulders stiffened. She knew he wanted her to say no. If she had more confidence, she would go over there and play, forcing him to interact with her. However, she was not that type of girl, so she stayed where she was. Plus, he was here to court Naya, and Arianna knew she should leave them alone.
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